My Favorite....

I wanted to post what is now my favorite pic. This picturesque Irish lass was a bit of an accident. I took the picture so quickly that I only got this one and a second one a split second later. I took it so quickly that I didn't have time to really frame it... but I knew that it was going to be a good pic. I love her expression and her red hair blowing in the wind.






People are my favorite subject to photograph... but taking pictures of people is always hard...! I have started carrying business cards with my contact info so that I can give them to people I photograph. This way they know that I am not just some creep... and they can have a copy of the photo (if they wish).

Today's Random Pic... Winter

Well.... it is official. Summer is over. Winter storms have started hitting us... and we have had several days where a fire is needed in the fireplace.

Paste

D’s random thoughts about Paste……
(the magazine, not the glue)

So, sit back, relax, and find your favourite snack, you may be here awhile…(I am eating leftover Papa John’s pizza and drinking a Pepsi)..First of all, I am a huge fan of Paste magazine. Paste is a magazine that follows signs of life in music, film, and culture. I have been reading it for several years and had a subscription several years ago. (I stopped, well, b/c international rates are expensive, AND it is now available in Ireland!- of course not at my local bookstore, figures) If you are a frequent flyer with American Airlines, you will be happy to know that Paste now occupies a whole channel on your in-flight audio! So, while I was back in the states a few weeks ago, I found myself at a Barnes and Nobles on one of my last days and grabbed the new Paste. Don’t be alarmed. The cover picture and main interview is with Kanye West. Don’t let that deter you. I almost didn’t buy it, but then realized that it also included interviews with KT Tunstall, Rilo Kiley, and the sampler includes Over the Rhine and the Frames. So in my book, a must have. Paste does a great job of keeping up with music in the worldwide scene. They also spend way too much time in the country music genre, but hey ……they get points for introducing America to great Irish music with the Frames, Fionn Regan, and Damien Rice. I hadn’t had the chance to read the September issue yet until I picked it up this week. I didn’t get very far when I realize that I know one of the folks who have written to the editor! I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t happen to me every week. So a huge hello to Mr. Kubina, my high school math teacher, and Mrs. Kubina, middle school math teacher! Mr. Kubina’s letter was chosen to be published in this issue of the magazine. Well, how about that……..If you are interested, Paste is also on the web at pastemagazine.com and www.PasteBeat.com

By Special Request...

From the archives...2004... a blue eyed cow:





There you go Tim.... bring back memories? I still laugh when I look at the other cow being nosey over her shoulder.

Today's Random Pic... More Bees

My sister Jen emailed to tell me that she liked the picture (a couple of posts ago) of the flower with the bee. I don't really know why... but I have really been taking several good bee pictures lately. I never really have taken any before... they just seem to be round this time of year. So... I decided to post another bee pic. Hope you enjoy.

Camera Questions...

I have been meaning to post a note and thank all of you who leave comments on the posts. Dee and I really enjoy getting feedback and knowing that people are actually looking at this site from time to time.

Recently I have been getting emails and comments asking me about the camera that Dee and I use. Well... the answer to that depends on when and where the picture was taken. It (over the past four years) could have been one of four cameras. wow... saying that really sounds like we have a lot invested in this... but in reality the cameras are not super charged overpriced professional cameras. I give credit for the good photos to this amazing place. I have often said that it does not matter what direction you point your camera - you will get an awesome picture. I was reminded of this this past week as I took pictures out of our car window as Dee drove us home from Dublin.

Dee and I have two Fuji cameras that accompany us at all times. Her camera is a nice 5meg point and shoot. My Fuji Finepix (A205) 2.0mega pixels is a brick. No... seriously.... it is the size of a brick. It was my first digital camera, and I got it for free when we bought a Dell computer back in 2004. The camera does not have a zoom at all.... but I love it. It takes great pictures and is a work horse. I have gotten it completely soaked and dropped it more times that I can count (once while riding a bike down a very steep hill). It really takes a lick'n and keeps on click'n (Sorry... I couldn't resist). I keep this in my coat pocket for those pictures that I see during a normal day. Until recently I also used a 35mm (film) Canon Rebel 2000. I love this camera! It really takes great pictures and allows you to do everything manually or use automatic settings. The only thing is that it was killing me to develop the film. I felt like I couldn't experiment too much. An average roll of film here was about $6 and then developing it was around $11. Let's just say that the ladies working at the local health food store (where I got film developed) knew me really well. In July I got a new toy.... a Canon txi. It is just like my 35mm but is digital. It really is great to be able to take pictures knowing that it is not going to cost me if the picture does not turn out. I can't tell you how many pictures I have missed or ruined because I couldn't check the little picture preview display on the back of my film camera. I usually don't carry this camera around with me everyday but only take it when the weather is especially nice or I know that I am going somewhere different.

So.... there you have it. That is what we use. I really think the key to taking good pictures is not to be in a hurry. Be willing to stop and take the time to look around and take a billion photos! Also... don't forget the most important rule: never go anywhere without a camera!

Modern Ireland...

If you were to look through all of my pictures you would think that I was living in the middle of a timeless Ireland. An Ireland filled with rolling farms and farmers moving their cattle and sheep down the middle of the road. In reality, Ireland is very much a modern country and the people here are just as busy and as modern as the average person in America. There is, however, a flash of the disappearing Ireland from time to time. The traffic clears way long enough for cattle to cross the road or a man sitting on the windowsill of a local pub catches my eye and makes me appreciate how tradition does play an important part of the culture here. Moments like this can't be planned and can't be counted on... but when they do happen the tourist inside of me jumps for joy, and I am reminded how cool this place really is.

It happened again today as I was driving the busy highway near our house. I passed two men working to re-thatch an old cottage. I raced home, grabbed my camera and went back as fast as I could. We actually know the people that own this house. It was built by hand by his great grandfather. Here are a couple of the pictures I took about 30min ago. Hope you enjoy this bit of timeless Ireland.

Today's Random Pic...

Popping....

It is not a secret (in my family at least) that I am not a very good shopper. I tend to run in and make a decision very quickly and then stick by my decision until the very end. This style of grab and run shopping worked very well for me when we were living in the USA. I would run into Wal-Mart and be out in no time (well… it was Wal-Mart… so it wasn’t that fast)… or the corner grocery store… or one of the million other strip malls lined with Goodies, Kohl’s, etc. Things here are very different… surprise, surprise! We don’t have a Wal-Mart or anything even remotely close. When we need something more than just food we pop into the city. The only thing is that it isn’t as whimsical as popping would sound. Popping into the city usually turns into an all-afternoon/day adventure that we take every week or so. Now… remember… I am not a shopper. We have to drive into the city… fight the traffic... find a parking space… pay for a parking space (a fact that still bothers me)… and then walk to the shopping area of the city. Dee is content to walk the shopping streets and to take her time going from shop to shop. I have several shops that I routinely hit (used books & occasionally a coffee shop) but I am usually ready to leave the city long before Dee is. This, however, is very different when the weather is nice and I have the camera. You never really know what you are going to get when you go into the city…. But I am always amused. This week I walked along the docks and out to a small island with a lighthouse (see picture in the post below). I then went on through a park area where a kite surfer was practicing in the safety of the green grass. I stood and watched him being pulled across the cool wet grass… but it didn’t look much safer than if he had been on the water. After leaving my surfer friend I wandered up through the medieval streets now turned into shops. It was there that I discovered one of the best street performers I have ever seen. Two African immigrants were singing and dancing in the street. A crowd formed a circle around them and watched as they dance, joked, and did the limbo under a burning pole. I thought that the show was going to be over when a garda (the police) car pulled up and the guard rolled his window down. Both the crowd and performers stood in silence as the guard began to speak over the loud speaker. He said, “These guys need more money… be sure to give them more money”. The two performers began dancing around the cop car and kept the hats full of money passing around the crowd. It was awesome. I hung out and watched for a while and then slowly made my way to meet Dee. She was still shopping.

One of the life lessons that I keep learning over and over is to slow down. Life is not a race. I need to take time to really breathe in the things around me. I need to take time to really "be" here and not to simply pass through. It is when I do this... and slow down... that I am truly grateful for the things God has blessed me with... and when I am going slowly the hassles and all the things I have to do seem to melt away and be such a big deal.

Today's Random Pic... and update coming soon...

Today's Random Pic...

Another Converse Day! Wahoo!

I realize that this won't mean much to most of you, but the fact that I have been able to wear Converses all week is amazing! They only come out when it is dry and not too cold. After the horrible non-summerlike(is that a word?) weather we've had, it's great to be outside and breathe in the fresh air without freezing and getting drenched. So in honor of the good weather, I am posting a picture taken at the beginning of the summer when we went away for a retreat with some friends. Another great weather day involving hours of reading and Bert time(listening to my ipod).


Currently listening to: Eisley and RED
Currently eating: yogurt covered peanuts